JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-6) vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-7)
Sunday, November 12, 2000, 1:00 p.m. EST
ALLTEL Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
THIS WEEK: Reinvigorated with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys and their bye week, the Jacksonville Jaguars head into the second half of the their season when they host the Seattle Seahawks at 1:00 p.m. EST Sunday at ALLTEL Stadium.
The Jaguars ended a five-game losing streak in their last game on October 29 and hope to get on another late-season run to the playoffs so they can qualify for the postseason for the fifth straight season. The schedule is somewhat favorable for the remaining seven games, with the remaining opponents having a combined record of 30-35. The schedule includes two first-place teams in division rival Tennessee (8-1) and the New York Giants (7-2), as well as the surprising Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4). But the other four games are against Arizona (3-6), Seattle (3-7), Cincinnati (2-7) and Cleveland (2-8).
The Jaguars are 3-6 and in fourth place in the AFC Central Division. They are tied for their worst record ever after nine games with the 1995 and '96 Jacksonville teams. But the win over the Cowboys was reminiscent of an overtime victory at Baltimore in 1996 that was the start of a five-game winning streak that propelled the team into the playoffs for the first time.
"This is now a seven-game schedule for us," said Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin. "We want to be a part of the excitement in the NFL over the next seven games, and I think all of the players are thinking the same way - that we have to play one game at a time. But we can make ourselves heard from in the second half of the season."
In the last four seasons, the Jaguars have the second-best record in the NFL. Their 39-18 record in that time is two-and-a-half games behind Minnesota (41-15 heading into Monday night). Jacksonville also has the second-best home record in the last four years (29-7, only one game behind Green Bay) and their road record since 1996 of 19-12 is just half a game behind that of Minnesota (19-11).
TELEVISION BROADCAST: The Jaguars-Seahawks game will be televised regionally by CBS and locally by WJXT Channel 4, with Don Criqui calling the play-by-play and Steve Tasker adding analysis.
RADIO BROADCAST: All of the Jaguars' games are broadcast on WOKV (690 AM), WBWL (600 AM) and WKQL (96.9 FM) and the Jaguars Radio Network. Brian Sexton calls the play-by-play, former NFL quarterback Matt Robinson adds analysis and Dan Hicken is the sideline reporter. Sexton and Robinson are in their sixth season together. Robinson, Jennifer Candelino, Vic Ketchman and Cole Pepper handle the pre-game show, and Pepper and ex-Oakland Raider Pete Banaszak do the post-game show. A total of 18 affiliates in three states on the Jaguars Radio Network will also broadcast the game. The radio broadcast is also simulcast live worldwide on the Jaguars' Official Website, jaguars.com, and on nfl.com.
JAGUARS BROADCASTING: The Jaguars produce more than 14 hours of television and radio broadcasting each week during the NFL season. Television shows include "Monday Night Live" at 7:00 p.m. Mondays on NBC12, "The Tom Coughlin Show" at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays on NBC12, and the "Jaguars Pregame Show" at 11:30 a.m. Sundays on NBC12. Normal game radio broadcasts begin three hours prior to kickoff on WOKV/WBWL/WKQL, with the postgame show immediately following the game. During the week, "Monday Evening Quarterback" airs at 6:00 p.m. Mondays on WOKV, "Jaguars This Week" is at 6:00 p.m. Wednesdays on WBWL, "The Tom Coughlin Show" airs at 6:00 p.m. Thursdays on WOKV, and "Countdown to Kickoff" is at 6:00 p.m. Fridays on WBWL.
TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets are still available for $40, $50, $65 and $90 per ticket. Fans can call 1-888-397-0100 or buy tickets on the Internet at www.jaguars.com
THE OPPONENT: The Seahawks were awarded an NFL franchise on June 4, 1974 and began play in 1976. They went 2-12 in their first season under head coach Jack Patera. In 1978 and '79, the Seahawks finished 9-7 but out of the playoffs. They finally made the playoffs in 1983 with another 9-7 record. Under head coach Chuck Knox, Seattle defeated Denver and Miami and advanced to the AFC Championship game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Raiders. Seattle also advanced to the playoffs in 1984, '87 and '88. They missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons from 1989 to '98. In 1999, Mike Holmgren's first season as head coach, the Seahawks finished 9-7 and qualified for the postseason. They hosted their first playoff game since 1984 (and only third ever) but lost to Miami in a Wild-Card playoff. This season, the Seahawks are 3-7, having beaten San Diego twice and New Orleans.
THE SERIES: The Jaguars and the Seahawks have played two times, with each team owning one victory. In the first meeting between the two teams on November 12, 1995 - exactly five years ago from this year's game - the Seahawks won 47-30. The Jaguars won the second game 20-13 on December 15, 1996, one week before they clinched their first playoff berth.
THE LAST TIME: The Jaguars won their fourth consecutive game and eighth of the season by defeating the Seattle Seahawks 20-13 on December 15, 1996. Mark Brunell threw two touchdown passes to Jimmy Smith, and Natrone Means rushed for 92 yards on 23 carries, as the Jaguars continued their playoff drive. A rookie in 1996, DE Tony Brackens had 12 tackles, one interception, one sack and four passes defensed, and Jeff Lageman had eight tackles and a sack. Brunell surpassed the 4,000-yard mark passing in the game.
A JAGUARS VICTORY OVER THE SEAHAWKS WOULD: Give the Jaguars a 4-6 record and back-to-back wins for the first time this season, as well as ending a three-game home losing streak. It would be their second straight win and give them a 2-3 record at home this season.
INJURY UPDATE: There were no major injuries suffered in the Jaguars' last game at Dallas on October 29. Five players missed the game with injuries but could be back by Sunday. Among the injured are: DT Gary Walker (knee), WR Jimmy Smith (hamstring), LB Lonnie Marts (groin), DE Renaldo Wynn (knee), DE Joel Smeenge (calf), RB Shyrone Stith (knee) and MLB Hardy Nickerson (knee). Also, OT Leon Searcy, who missed the first nine games with a quadriceps injury suffered early in training camp, is expected back in late November. The status of all players will be updated next week.
THE COACH: Jacksonville head coach Tom Coughlin (52-37 in regular season, 4-4 in postseason) has led the Jaguars to two consecutive AFC Central Division championships and two appearances in the AFC Championship game. The Jaguars have made the playoffs each of the last four seasons - a first for an NFL expansion team and one of only two teams in the NFL to do so (along with Minnesota). In 1999, the Jaguars had the best record in the NFL (14-2), advancing to the conference championship game before losing to Tennessee. In 1998, Coughlin guided them to their first AFC Central Division championship with an 11-5 record. They defeated the New England Patriots in a Wild-Card game before losing to the New York Jets in the Divisional playoffs. In 1997, the Jaguars were 11-5 and finished second in the AFC Central, and they were defeated by Denver in the Wild-Card playoffs. In their second season in 1996, the Jaguars advanced all the way to the AFC Championship game, finishing the regular season in second place in the division with a 9-7 record. In the playoffs, the Jaguars upset the Bills and Broncos on the road before losing at New England. In 1995, the Jaguars finished with four victories in their inaugural season. Coughlin became head coach of the Jaguars on February 21, 1994 following three successful seasons as head coach at Boston College. He compiled a record of 21-13-1 from 1991 to '93 at Boston College, and had two appearances in bowl games and a ranking of 13th in the final AP poll of 1993. A veteran of 30 years of coaching, he was previously an NFL assistant coach with the New York Giants (wide receivers, 1988-90), Green Bay Packers (wide receivers and passing game coordinator 1986-87) and Philadelphia Eagles (wide receivers, 1984-85).
In his first season with the Seahawks in 1999, Mike Holmgren led the team to its first AFC West title and postseason appearance since 1988, along with hosting its first playoff game since 1984. Prior to going to Seattle, Holmgren had a successful career as head coach at Green Bay from 1992 to '98. The highlight was the Packers' 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. Holmgren also led Green Bay to a second consecutive NFC championship before falling to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII. During his tenure, the Packers posted a regular-season record of 84-42 (.667) and finished first in the NFC Central Division three times. Prior to becoming a head coach, Holmgren spent six seasons as an assistant with the 49ers (1986-1991). Holmgren coached the quarterbacks from 1986-88, under Bill Walsh, and was the team's offensive coordinator from 1989-1991 under head coach George Seifert. During his time in San Francisco, the 49ers won consecutive Super Bowls. Holmgren was a quarterback at Southern California (1966-69) and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth round in 1970. He was an assistant at San Francisco State (1981) and Brigham Young (1982-85) before joining the 49ers. He has a record of 87-51 in the regular season and 9-7 in the postseason.
COUGHLIN RANKED AMONG LEAGUE'S TOP COACHES: With every regular-season victory, Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin moves up on two lists when compared to other active NFL head coaches. In 2000, Coughlin has two victories in six games vs. AFC Central teams and one win in four home games. Coughlin has the fifth-best record of all current NFL coaches in division games and the sixth-best record in home games (minimum of 16 home games). Records include all teams coached by an individual during the regular season.
JACKSONVILLE-SEATTLE CONNECTIONS: Jaguars director of player personnel Rick Reiprish spent 10 years (1984-94) as a scout for the Seahawks … Seahawks DE Rahmaan Streater spent most of the 1999 season on the Jaguars' practice squad and was waived by the Jaguars in this year's final cuts on Aug. 27 … Seahawks area scout Bucky Brooks was a cornerback and kick returner for the Jaguars in 1996 and '97. … Three Jaguars have ties to Washington state: QB Mark Brunell (University of Washington), DE Rob Meier (Washington State) and PK Mike Hollis (Spokane) … Seven Seahawks players have ties to Florida: CB Ike Charlton (Orlando), P Jeff Feagles and Cortez Kennedy (University of Miami), WR Darrell Jackson (University of Florida), OT Walter Jones (Florida State), C/G Robbie Tobeck (Tarpon Springs) and OT Todd Weiner (Coral Springs). … Seahawks G Pete Kendall played for Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin at Boston College … Jaguars defensive coordinator Dom Capers was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 1997 and '98 when Seahawks offensive coordinator Gil Haskell held the same position with the Panthers. In addition, Capers coached at the University of Washington in 1975 … Jaguars DL coach John Pease coached at Washington (1978-82). … Jaguars TE coach Fred Hoaglin played his final year (1976) of professional football with then-expansion Seattle Seahawks … Seahawks special teams coordinator Pete Rodriguez was the defensive coordinator at Florida State (1974-75) ... Players who were college teammates include: Jaguars CB Fernando Bryant and Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander at Alabama; Jaguars RB Shyrone Stith and Seahawks CB Ike Charlton at Virginia Tech; Seahawks DE Antonio Cochran and Jaguars DT Emarlos Leroy at Georgia; Seahawks WR Darrell Jackson and Jaguars RB Fred Taylor at Florida; Jaguars OT Leon Searcy and Seahawks DT Cortez Kennedy at Miami (Fla.); Jaguars G/OT Todd Fordham and DT Larry Smith and Seahawks OT Walter Jones at Florida State; Jaguars LB Erik Storz and Seahawks G Pete Kendall at Boston College, where Jaguars assistance strength and conditioning coach Greg Finnegan was the director of strength and conditioning; Seahawks DE Lamar King and Jaguars DE Paul Spicer at Saginaw Valley State; Jaguars DE Rob Meier and Seahawks PK Rian Lindell at Washington State; Seahawks WR Derrick Mayes and Jaguars DE Renaldo Wynn at Notre Dame; and Jaguars RB Anthony Johnson and Seahawks RB Ricky Watters at Notre Dame.
JAGUARS VS. SEAHAWKS: In two regular-season games against the Seahawks, QB Mark Brunell completed 32 of 46 passes (69.5 percent) for 352 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for a 104.6 passer rating. In addition, Brunell has 13 rushes for 94 yards and one touchdown. … WR Jimmy Smith has nine receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns, with the second game (12/15/96) being the fourth 100-yard receiving game of his career. … In his only game against the Seahawks in 1996, WR Keenan McCardell had three catches for 23 yards and no touchdowns. … PK Mike Hollis is 5 for 6 on field goal attempts (including a 50-yarder), and he is a perfect 5 of 5 on extra points for 20 total points. ... For the Seahawks, RB Ricky Watters had 15 carries for 44 yards and no touchdowns in the 10/12/97 contest between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jaguars.
LAST GAME: The Jaguars ended a five-game losing streak with a 23-17 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium on October 29. Alvis Whitted scored on a 37-yard pass from Mark Brunell on the first series of overtime for his second touchdown of the game, as the Jaguars ended their longest losing streak in five years and entered their bye week with a win. The Jaguars did not not turn the ball over and were not sacked for the first time all season. Brunell threw for three touchdowns and tied a team record for passing accuracy, as he completed 20 of 24 passes. Tight end Kyle Brady caught 10 of those passes for 134 yards, both career highs, as he eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the second straight week. Fred Taylor had his third consecutive 100-yard rushing game, setting another team mark, as he gained 107 yards on a season-high 31 carries (the second most in team history and one behind his career high). The Jaguars jumped out to a 17-7 halftime lead but then struggled again in the second half, scoring no points until overtime. Meanwhile, the Cowboys rallied for 10 points in the second half, scoring the tying touchdown with 1:07 to play. Dallas opened the scoring on its initial possession, marching 64 yards. The Jaguars struck back with 17 points in the second period, their most points in a quarter since Week 2, and 10 of them off Dallas turnovers. Mike Hollis kicked a 42-yard field goal, Brunell connected with Brady on a three-yard TD pass, and, with 13 seconds left before halftime, Brunell found Whitted on a fade in the end zone.
NOTES FROM THE COWBOYS GAME: The Jaguars have won five of their past six vs. NFC teams and are 12-10 in six seasons vs. the NFC. … The Jaguars are 2-3 on the road this year, ending a three game losing streak away from home. … The Jaguars gained 392 yards, their most since Week 2, and they allowed 325, their second fewest against them in the last six games. Jacksonville had 18 first downs to Dallas' 22, and they converted 7 of 15 third downs (47%) to Dallas 5 of 9 (56%), but the Jaguars controlled the clock with 33:36 time of possession, their most since the season opener. … The Jaguars did not allow any sacks for the third time in franchise history. However, they still have given up an NFL-high 38 for the season, (they yielded 36 in all of 1999). The Jaguars made two sacks. CB Aaron Beasley got his fifth of the season, and DE Paul Spicer became the first defensive lineman since Week 3 to notch one (in only his second NFL game). … Going into the game, the Jaguars had a league-high 21 turnovers, but they did not give up the ball for the first time since the season opener. … The Jaguars' 161 rushing yards was a season high. … RB Fred Taylor's 31 carries were one shy of his team-record of 32 on 12/6/98 vs. Detroit. His 100-yard game broke the team record of two straight he had set three times and James Stewart accomplished once. … Mark Brunell completed 20 of 24 passes for 231 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His 83.3 percent accuracy tied the team record held by Rob Johnson on 8/31/97 at Baltimore, and his 146.4 passer rating was a career best. … Kyle Brady led the team with 10 catches for 134 yards, breaking his previous single-game highs of 8-111 set a week earlier. He now has 41 catches for 478 yards (11.7-yard average) for the season, setting new personal career highs (previous: 32 catches for 346, 10.8 average in 1999). He becomes the first Jaguars tight end to hit the 100-yard mark twice. … Alvis Whitted's two TD receptions were his first ever in the regular season (he had a TD catch in a 1999 playoff game and a TD on a kickoff return in '99). … The TD passes to Brady and Whitted were the first time Brunell had connected with either player on a scoring pass in the regular season. Brady's only previous TD as a Jaguar was thrown by Jay Fiedler (he did catch a TD pass from Brunell in last season's AFC Championship game). … Jimmy Smith was inactive because of a hamstring injury, snapping his streak of having played in every Jaguars game. P Bryan Barker is now the only Jaguar to have appeared in all 97 games (89 plus eight in the postseason). Smith's team-record streak of 80 consecutive games with at least one reception is still intact and remains the seventh longest among active players. … WLB Hardy Nickerson led the team with 16 tackles (5 solo), followed by MLB T.J. Slaughter with 13 tackles (3 solo) and SLB Kevin Hardy with 11 (5 solo). It marked the first game ever that three Jaguars had double-digit tackles. … Donovin Darius had the game's only interception, his first of the season and fifth of his career. Spicer forced a fumble on his sack that was recovered by Tony Brackens, his 14th career takeaway, breaking the team record he shared with Aaron Beasley. Fernando Bryant also recovered a fumble, his first of the season and fourth of his career. … Bryan Barker punted five times for a 43.6-yard average, with a long of 49, three inside the 20 and no touchbacks. He had two kicks returned for 23 yards. … Mike Hollis was 1 for 2 on field goals. He extended his streak to 13 straight (third longest in team history) with a 42-yarder in the second period, then had a 49-yard attempt blocked in the fourth quarter (his first blocked kick since 11/7/99 at Atlanta). Every player who dressed played except QB Jamie Martin, OT Mark Baniewicz, DE Michael Mason and TE Ryan Neufeld. Friday's inactives were: OT Leon Searcy, OT Reggie Nelson, DE Renaldo Wynn and DE Joel Smeenge; Sunday inactives were: LB Lonnie Marts, DT Gary Walker, WR Jimmy Smith and QB Jonathan Quinn (third QB). … Jaguars captains were OT Tony Boselli, LB Hardy Nickerson and DT Seth Payne.
NEXT WEEK: The Jaguars' next game will be at 8:35 p.m. EST Sunday, November 19, when they travel to Pittsburgh to face the division rival Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on "Sunday Night Football." The Jaguars are 6-5 lifetime vs. the Steelers. The two teams split each of the first four seasons, with the home team winning every game. In 1999, the Jaguars swept the two games, and this year the Steelers won 24-13 on October 1, their first win ever in Jacksonville. The Steelers are 5-4 so far this season and host the Philadelphia Eagles (6-4) on Sunday.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES ... OR FIVE YEARS: Here's how the 2000 Jaguars compare statistically to 1999 and their inaugural season of 1995 through the first nine games of each season:
Category 2000 1999 1995
Record 3-6 8-1 3-6
Points scored 165 216 138
Points allowed 207 79 186
Sacks 15 39 8
Sacks allowed 38 18 38
Turnovers 21 7 14
Takeaways 18 21 14
Rushing yards 917 1,182 970
THE TEAL IS REAL . . . In the last four seasons, the Jaguars' record is the second best in the NFL, two-and-a-half games behind the Minnesota Vikings. The Jaguars have won 39 of their last 57 regular-season games (they also won their final five games in 1996).
. . . WITH THE SECOND-BEST RECORD AT HOME . . . The Jaguars went 7-1 at ALLTEL Stadium each of the last four seasons and are 1-3 so far this season, giving them a 29-7 record, tied for the second-best mark at home since the start of the 1996 season. The Jaguars have lost only six home games since the second week of the 1996 season and have won 30 of their last 37 home games dating back to December 24, 1995, in their inaugural season.
. . . AND THE SECOND-BEST RECORD ON THE ROAD . . . The Jaguars have the second-best road record in the NFL and they are one of only four NFL teams with a better than .500 mark on the road dating back to November 24, 1996. The Jaguars have a 19-12 record away from home during that time (they have also won two postseason road games since 1996). Their 7-1 road record last season was the best in the league and they have now won 15 of their last 23 games away from home. The Jaguars' all-time regular-season road record is 21-24.
SMITH IS NFL'S LEADING RECEIVER SINCE 1996 ... Since the start of the 1996 season, Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith has the most receptions in the NFL and teammate Keenan McCardell ranks fifth (Smith missed the last game and most of the previous two games). The two receivers are close friends, with McCardell nicknamed "Thunder" and Smith called "Lightning." Smith was the NFL leader last year with 116 receptions - the sixth most in a season in NFL history - and he easily broke the team record of 85 set in 1996 and '97 by McCardell. McCardell has a total of 452 career receptions, while Smith has 430.
... AND SMITH LEADS ALL RECEIVERS IN YARDAGE: Over the last four-plus seasons, Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith has amassed more receiving yardage than any receiver in the NFL, and teammate Keenan McCardell is eighth.
SMITH'S STREAK REACHES 80 GAMES: Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith has caught at least one pass in 80 consecutive games played, a streak that is the seventh longest among active players.
HOLLIS IS NFL'S SECOND-MOST ACCURATE FIELD GOAL KICKER EVER: Jaguars PK Mike Hollis is the second-most-accurate field goal kicker in NFL history in the regular season (he is also the second-most accurate in the postseason). This season, Hollis has been successful on 13 of his 14 attempts, giving him an accuracy mark of 82.49 and falling behind Miami's Olindo Mare. Hollis' last attempt, a 49-yarder, was blocked by Dallas; had he made the kick, he would have remained No. 1.
BRADY CATCHING A BUNCH: In the last two games, Jaguars TE Kyle Brady has set career highs for both receptions and receiving yards, and he is now the fourth-leading receiver among tight ends in the NFL. On October 22 vs. Washington, Brady caught eight passes for 111 yards, and two weeks ago at Dallas, he caught 10 passes for 134 yards and his first TD of the season. That gives him 18 receptions for 245 yards in the last two games.
For the season, Brady has caught 41 passes for 478 yards, also setting single-season personal highs. His previous career bests were set in 1999, when he caught 32 passes for 346 yards.
SEVEN IS HEAVEN FOR JAGUARS: The Jaguars had five selections in the seventh round of the 2000 college draft (four on compensatory picks), and all five players are on the team's 53-man roster. In fact, only six of 15 players chosen leaguewide on compensatory picks in the seventh round are still in the NFL, and four of those six players are Jaguars.
Only eight of the last 19 players drafted this year made opening day rosters, five of them Jaguars. In all, the Jaguars had 11 draft choices in 2000, and all 11 are still with the team - nine on the 53-man roster, one on injured reserve (OT Joe Chustz) and one on the practice squad (WR Emanuel Smith).
Brunell's TOUCHDOWN TARGETS: Mark Brunell has thrown 97 TD passes in six seasons in Jacksonville. Here are the 17 players who have caught them: Jimmy Smith (29), Keenan McCardell (18), Damon Jones (10), Willie Jackson (10), Pete Mitchell (7), James Stewart (5), Ernest Givins (3), Cedric Tillman (3), Fred Taylor (2), Andre Rison (2), Alvis Whitted (2), Derek Brown (1), Ty Hallock (1), Desmond Howard (1), Natrone Means (1), R. Jay Soward (1) and Kyle Brady (1).
BRUNELL ON CENTRAL TIME: Jaguars QB Mark Brunell has the NFL's best division record as a starter among active quarterbacks. Since joining the Jaguars in 1995, Brunell has compiled a 27-13 (.675 record as a starter against the AFC Central. Following are the top three active quarterbacks in career division win percentage (minimum 25 starts):
Quarterback Record Pct.
Mark Brunell 27-13-0 .675
Brett Favre * 42-23-0 .646
Randall Cunningham 42-25-1 .625
- Played on Monday night
BRUNELL HAS FIFTH-BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE: Jaguars QB Mark Brunell has the fifth-best career winning percentage of active quarterbacks (minimum 20 wins).
(regular season only, minimum 20 wins)
QUARTERBACK, TEAM W L T PCT.
Doug Flutie, Buffalo 28 14 0 .667
Brad Johnson, Washington 31 16 0 .660
Brett Favre, Green Bay * 85 48 0 .639
Steve McNair, Tennessee 36 21 0 .632
Mark Brunell, Jacksonville 47 30 0 .610
Randall Cunningham, Dallas 80 52 1 .605
Elvis Grbac, Kansas City 30 20 0 .600
- Played on Monday night
JAGUARS AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: After 10 weeks, the Jaguars are 11th in the NFL in total offense (21st rushing, 10th passing), and they are 16th in defense (17th rushing and 20th passing). … The Jaguars have scored 165 points, an average of 18.3 per game. … The Jaguars' offense is seventh in the AFC and 14th in the NFL with 174 first downs. The Jaguars are fourth in the AFC and 10th in the NFL in third down percentage (56 of 136, 41.2 percent), and the defense is second in the AFC and third in the NFL in opponent's third-down conversions (35 of 110, 31.8 percent). … The Jaguars are minus-three on the turnover table. … The Jaguars rank 14th in the AFC and 28th in the NFL with a 33.3 percent rate on scoring touchdowns inside the red zone (9 of 27). … Despite missing four games with a back injury, PK Mike Hollis is tied for 11th among AFC kickers in scoring with 49 points. … WR Jimmy Smith's six touchdowns are tied for eighth in the AFC. … QB Mark Brunell is seventh in the AFC in passing with a 79.6 rating. His 2,094 passing yards is fourth in the AFC and eighth in the NFL, and his 305 attempts is the sixth most. … WR Keenan McCardell is third in the AFC and fourth in the NFL with 60 receptions, and Jimmy Smith is seventh in the AFC and ninth in the NFL with 49 receptions despite missing the last game and most of the previous two. … McCardell is seventh in the AFC with 666 receiving yards, and Smith is eighth with 657 yards. … Kyle Brady has 41 receptions, tied for 15th in the AFC and fourth among NFL tight ends. His 478 yards is 16th in the AFC. … Despite missing three full games, Fred Taylor is 11th in the AFC with 478 rushing yards. … Bryan Barker is eighth in the AFC with a 43.5 gross punting average and he is tied for seventh with a 36.6 net average. However, only five punters have more inside-the-20 kicks than Barker, who has 14 on his 43 punts after missing two games. … R.J. Soward is 10th in the AFC with a 7.8-yard average on punt returns … Shyrone Stith is fourth in the AFC with a 25.9-yard average on kickoff returns. … CB Aaron Beasley is tied for 11th in the AFC with 5.0 sacks, the most of any AFC defensive back.
2000 STATS AND SUCH: Mark Brunell is 47-30 as a starter in regular-season games, 51-34 overall. He has won more games under head coach Tom Coughlin than any current NFL quarterback under his head coach. … PK Mike Hollis has scored in 70 consecutive regular-season games in which he has played (and all eight in the playoffs). He has 625 points in his six years with the Jaguars. … Of the Jaguars' 204 completed passes, 129 have been to wide receivers, 33 to running backs and 42 to tight ends. … The Jaguars are 2 for 6 on fourth-down conversions this season; their opponents are 2 for 4. … A total of nine players (five on offense and four on defense) have started all nine games this year: WR Keenan McCardell, OT Tony Boselli, Gs Brad Meester and Brenden Stai, QB Mark Brunell, DE Tony Brackens, LB Kevin Hardy, and DBs Aaron Beasley and Donovin Darius. … The offense has used seven different starting lineup combinations in nine games, and the defense has had a different starting lineup in eight of the nine games. … The Jaguars have 12 plays of 30 or more yards so far this season. They had 23 plays of 30-plus yards in 1999, 29 in 1998, 22 in 1997, 26 in 1996 and 12 in 1995. … Jaguars opponents have begun 27 possessions inside their own 20 and they have scored on five of those drives (3 TDs, 2 FGs). The Jaguars have begun 22 possessions inside their own 20 and scored on five of them (3 TDs, 2 FGs). On 27 drives inside the opponent's 20, the Jaguars have scored 9 TDs and 10 FGs. Their touchdown percentage of 33.3 inside the red zone is the third worst in the NFL. Their opponents have 25 trips inside the red zone and have scored on all of them, with 17 TDs and 8 FGs. … The Jaguars used turnovers to score 32 points, while their opponents scored 61 points off turnovers. … In six seasons, the Jaguars are 12 for 18 on two-point conversions (0 for 0 this year), while their opponents are 4 for 17 (1 for 1 this year). … In six seasons, the Jaguars have a .500 or better record in every month except October. They are 1-0 in August, 12-11 in September, 12-13 in October, 14-6 in November, 12-7 in December and 1-0 in January. … This season, the Jaguars have outscored their opponents in the first quarter (39-38) and have been outscored in the second (63-65), third (13-47) and fourth quarters (44-57).
The average age of the 53-man roster as of November 6 is 26.51 years old. There were 26 players 25 or younger, 16 players between 26 and 29 years old, and 11 players 30 or older. The youngest player is RB Shyrone Stith (22 years, 6 months). … There are 10 rookies on the roster, including nine of the 11 draft choices (WR R. Jay Soward, G Brad Meester, MLB T.J. Slaughter, CB Kiwaukee Thomas, S Erik Olson, DE Rob Meier, RB Shyrone Stith, LB Danny Clark and OT Mark Baniewicz) and G Aaron Koch. … More than half of the players (29) have four years or less of NFL experience, and nine players are in their eighth season or more. … There are 18 players who are new to the team this year, and 35 who were with the team before this year. In addition to the 10 rookies, the other eight new players are: MLB Hardy Nickerson and QB Jamie Martin (unrestricted free agents); RB Anthony Johnson, C/G Jeff Smith and TE Ryan Neufeld (veteran free agents); G Brenden Stai (trade); and DE Paul Spicer and DE Michael Mason (first-year free agents). … The Jaguars have nine players who were first-round selections in the college draft, including seven of their own picks: OT Leon Searcy (1992, Pittsburgh), OT Tony Boselli (1995, Jaguars), TE Kyle Brady (1995, N.Y. Jets), LB Kevin Hardy (1996, Jaguars), DT Renaldo Wynn (1997, Jaguars), RB Fred Taylor (1998, Jaguars), S Donovin Darius (1998, Jaguars), CB Fernando Bryant (1999, Jaguars) and WR R. Jay Soward (2000, Jaguars).
In six seasons, only one Jaguar has played in all 97 games (regular season and postseason) in franchise history: P Bryan Barker (WR Jimmy Smith and PK Mike Hollis had their streaks ended this year). … The longest streak of consecutive starts is held by WLB Kevin Hardy (42), followed by OT Tony Boselli (28). … Seven players have played in 100 or more games during their careers: MLB Hardy Nickerson (194), P Bryan Barker (160), RB Anthony Johnson (153), DE Joel Smeenge (149), LB Lonnie Marts (147), OT Leon Searcy (126) and WR Keenan McCardell (109). … Nickerson has 171 career starts, followed by Searcy (111) and Marts (108). … OT Tony Boselli has started 80 games for the Jaguars, followed by QB Mark Brunell (77), WR Keenan McCardell (70) and OT Leon Searcy (63).
